Paul Play Dairo
A Son of veteran juju artist, IK Dairo, we can admit that Paul Play Dairo was born into music. The singer went on to court fame with the remix of his father’s hit song, Mosorire. Proving that he is his own man musically, Dairo, later released a successful album titled, Hitsville, which contained hit songs such as Angel of my Life and Forever.
However, like a bolt from the blue, Paul Play became very ill and this affected his career. The long-drawn illness took a toll on the singer and at a point; some people speculated that he had cancer.
“Although there were false reports that I had cancer, that was never the case as I was diagnosed with a tumour that grew on my kidney. The tumour was so big that it overwhelmed my kidney and rendered it useless to the point that they had to take it out.” According to him
2baba
2baba, is a man that many have come to love— both for his artistry and humility.
However, the African Queen singer had a health emergency many years back when he was admitted to the hospital after a robbery attack.
In 2007, 2baba and some friends had been robbed while they were in a car on the Oshodi- Apapa Expressway, Lagos. In the encounter, 2baba (then known as 2face) was shot in the thigh. As soon as news of the attack broke, fans of the Hypertek honcho went into panic mode even as many offered prayers for his quick recovery.
The singer was eventually discharged from the hospital without any permanent injury. This was after 22 bullets were extracted from his thigh.
Two years before that, the singer had been the victim of another robbery attack in his Festac, Lagos, home. In that incident, he suffered a neck spasm and had to wear a cast for some time.
Meanwhile, the singer was also hospitalised some months back. But being one that is dedicated to his job, his wife, Annie, revealed that though he was on drip at some point, 2baba left the hospital to honour an engagement he had committed to prior to his illness.
Taiwo Hassan
Taiwo Hassan, aka Ogogo, has been on stage for many decades but, in 2004, the actor practically turned to a ghost of himself as he looked gaunt and sickly. With a massive weight loss that left the actor looking emaciated, his health status became a topic of speculation as Nigerians put up different theories as to what could have been wrong with him. His fans became more worried when the actor’s ill health lingered for years and they prayed ceaselessly for his recovery.
Years after he got better, the actor said he battled with ulcer. According to him, it took him eight years to recover and at the height of the illness, many of his colleagues and friends deserted him, because they thought he had contracted HIV/AIDS or another deadly disease. He said in an interview, “It got to a stage, many of my colleagues couldn’t even shake me again; some could not even embrace me. God bears me witness, they all abandoned me.”
The good news is that Ogogo has since returned to his usual bubbly self and he now looks as handsome as ever. He celebrated his sixtieth birthday last year and he was full of thanks to God for sparing his life.
Julius Agwu
Agwu seemed to be immune to life’s problems. But just like every other human being, he has also had his fair share of challenges. In 2015, three tumours were discovered in his brain and he had to be operated on for four hours in the US.
Describing the experience, the comedian said in an interview, “There were tumours in my brain. Every breath I took felt like my last. I almost died but my late father told me to go back. I had three tumours in my brain; all I remember was seeing my father who died in 2002 telling me to go back.”
He also confessed that at a point, he almost committed suicide.
Meanwhile, in a recent interview with Sunday Scoop, the Jokes Apart— How Did I Get Here author maintained that he had not retired from comedy.
Banky W
Singer, politician and business, Olubankole Wellington, aka Banky W, is one man who constantly engages with his fans and lets them into whatever is happening in his life per time.
Shortly before his dream wedding in November 2017, the singer announced to his fans that he had been battling with skin cancer. He revealed that he had undergone three surgeries in 10 years for a ‘rare strain of skin cancer tumours’ in his shoulder.
In a lengthy message posted on his Instagram page, the EME boss thanked God, his wife, pastors and other individuals for the roles they played in his recovery. He also enjoined his fans not to feel bad about it but that did not stop the messages of concern and goodwill that poured him from all over the world.
Some months later (February, 2018), he stated that though he still felt some pain, his pathology test had come back and he was ‘completely cleared’ of the disease.
Vast (Bracket)
Yori Yori was one of the biggest songs of 2009 and it catapulted the singers— pop duo, Bracket— to instant stardom.
Made up of Obumneme Ali (Smash) and Nwachukwu Ozioko (Vast), the group went on to release other songs that earned them a space in the hearts of many fans.
However, Vast’s health became a subject of concern for fans when he began losing weight and appeared gaunt in 2013. He later announced that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer of the blood cells. He was flown to London for treatment even as his fans continued to offer prayers to God on his behalf.
In 2015, Vast declared that he was ‘officially cancer free’. He told his fans that while undergoing treatment, his doctors had instructed him to abstain from sex, and after his recovery, he couldn’t wait to engage in the intimate act.
